The present invention is directed to routing of special number short message service messages to local special number answering points, and, more specifically, to a system and method that routes short message service messages made to emergency services numbers to an answering point local to the sender.
Most wireless communications service providers offer short message services (“SMS”) as an option. An SMS subscriber may send short messages to another SMS-enabled communications device virtually anywhere in the world. SMS is particularly popular in Asia-pacific countries, where most wireless communications devices include SMS.
In some countries, special number messaging (e.g., emergency services) is supported by the SMS systems. An SMS subscriber may enter a special telephone number and send a message to a local answering point (e.g., a public safety answering point or “PSAP”). Such special telephone numbers, however, are simply another local telephone number, much in the same manner as telephone numbers for police, fire, ambulance, etc. were prior to special number service (e.g., 9-1-1, 1-1-2, 1-1-0, etc.) in the wireline network.
Simply adding special number dialing to SMS is not currently possible, giving current SMS routing protocols. An SMS message is initially routed to a short message service center (“SMSC”) run by the service provider using a telephone number pre-programmed into the communications device. The SMSC determines how to route the message using the called number in the message. The message is then delivered in a “store-and-forward” manner. There is no guarantee that the SMSC can route a message to an appropriate answering point for special number calls. Further, there is no guarantee that the message will reach the special number answering point in a timely manner. Additionally, if the message sender is in another country, the message must still travel back to the SMSC in the home country of the service provider of the message sender and then may not be delivered to a special number answering point in the country where the message sender currently is located.
Therefore, a problem in the art is that a person trying to use SMS to contact a special number answering point cannot be certain that the message will be answered in a timely manner by a local answering point that can handle the call locally.